On 25 May, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan filed requests for arrest warrants against Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The next step is for the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I to review the applications and determine if there are ‘reasonable grounds to believe’ that these individuals have committed a crime under the Court's jurisdiction, and whether to issue the arrest warrants. A report by international law experts, convened by the ICC Prosecutor in January 2024, confirmed on 20 May that the gathered evidence was sufficient to meet the criteria for applying for the arrest warrants. PM Netanyahu called the ICC Prosecutor’s announcement ‘absurd’. Israel previously stated that it does not recognize the Court's authority and will not cooperate with the inquiry. Meanwhile, Hamas has called on the ICC to withdraw the arrest warrant requests for its leaders.

Sources: International Criminal Court, ICC Panel of Experts in International Law (1), ICC Panel of Experts in International Law (2), Diakonia, Middle East Eye, ABC, Associated Press

On 5 May, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi ordered the closure of Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel for a renewable, 45-day period. On the same day, Israeli authorities shut down Al Jazeera’s local offices, confiscated broadcast equipment, blocked its websites and cut its channel from cable and satellite companies. The order was made using a new law passed in April 2024, which empowers the Communications Minister to close foreign media outlets, where – as is alleged with regards to Al Jazeera – they are deemed a threat to international security. The law was also used against another international outlet, the Associated Press, which reported having its broadcasting equipment confiscated and its live video of Gaza blocked after the Israeli government accused it of providing images to Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera remains one of the few international media outlets reporting from Gaza during the war.

Sources: Article 19, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Times of Israel, Euro-Med Rights, International IDEA, Associated Press (1), Associated Press (2)

In May, civil society organizations (CSOs) raised alarms about the conditions faced by incoming workers from Malawi, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and India in Israel's agriculture and construction sectors. Concerns include inadequate compensation, contract violations, and mistreatment. Media reports highlight Indian migrants on Israeli farms being paid below minimum wage, enduring long hours without overtime pay, wage theft with their salaries diverted to recruitment agencies, and inadequate housing with outdoor toilets and no hot water. Fear of retaliation or deportation is said to prevent many from reporting abuses. On 8 May, 12 Malawians were deported after leaving farm jobs due to poor conditions and starting to work in a bakery instead, violating their visa terms. This issue comes amid Israel’s announcement on 15 May of further plans to ‘significantly increase’ its quota of foreign workers, aiming to alleviate labor shortages caused by the suspension of nearly 400,000 Palestinian work permits only in October 2023. CSOs argue that the rapid pace of replacement is causing the deteriorating conditions for incoming migrant workers.

Sources: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (1), Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (2), International Labour Organization, Labor Ministry of Israel, Al-Jazeera, Foreign Policy, BBC

On 1 April, the Israeli parliament passed a law granting senior ministers the authority to shut down foreign news networks deemed to pose a 'threat to national security'. The law, which was passed by a vote of 71-10 in the Knesset, authorizes the communications minister to suspend broadcasting, close offices, seize equipment, and take down websites of offending foreign news channels. Shutdown orders can be issued initially for a period of up to 45 days, with provisions for renewals of up to an additional 45 days each time. There is no specified limit on the number of renewals. The law will remain effective until July 31, 2024, or until the state of emergency is lifted, whichever comes first. Media freedom organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, have criticized the law, arguing that it poses a significant threat to media and press freedom and called on the Israeli government to reverse this decision. 

Sources: Knesset, Al-Jazeera, Times of Israel, Euro-Med Rights, Committee to Protect Journalists

Israel’s invasion of Gaza had, by the end of January, resulted in more than 27,000 deaths, including over 10,000 children. On 26 January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued six provisional measures requiring Israel to prevent the commission of the crime of genocide in Gaza. Despite the ICJ’s requirement that Israel lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip and ensure humanitarian aid provision by 26 February, Israel's actions in Gaza persist.  The ICJ case, initiated by South Africa, accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its operations in Gaza. The ICJ's order underscores Israel's obligation to prevent acts that could potentially lead to genocide and to ensure no genocidal acts are committed by its military. This 15-2 vote by the Court emphasizes the obligation of Israel to prevent any genocidal acts by its troops. While this ruling does not require Israel to implement a cease-fire, it raises questions about what measures might be considered if Israel fails to comply.

Sources: International Court of Justice, Associated Press, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Al Jazeera, Amnesty International, The Conversation

Amid rising regional conflict, the Israeli government postponed local elections under a state of emergency. Initially scheduled for 31 October, the pivotal local elections, set amidst ongoing judicial and democratic crises, have been pushed to 30 January  2024. A further delay until 27 February 2024 is possible upon Knesset's approval. Later in November, Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, sought an additional postponement due to many of his party's candidates serving in military reserves, impairing their ability to campaign effectively.

Sources: Knesset, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel (1), Times of Israel (2)